The Golden Compass isn’t out to improve the church. It’s out to destroy the church by undermining the fundamental truths of the Bible. It repeats the very lie that brought sin into the world in the first place, and it does it wrapped in a cloak of adventure and fantasy.
There are few married couples in His Dark Materials, and there is little talk of sexual relations between them. Active sexuality is reserved for those who are free from the “shackles” of the marital bond.
Did not Moses resist the establishment of his day? Wasn’t Jesus murdered by the religious and government establishment of his day? Why was there a Protestant Reformation against the established Roman Catholic Church in Martin Luther’s day?
This is a film that opens the door of opportunity. Think of the great discussions that can arise from this film. Also, Pullman is a wonderful man with deeply held ideas about the preciousness of humanity and the immense beauty of this world.
The desire to transcend our own humanity is not, in itself, evil. Nietzsche tried to accomplish that transcendence from below—a weak creature willing itself to power. God, however, can provide it from above, promising true individuality.
Paradigm shifts are hard. We’re talking about letting go of that which we know, that which makes us comfortable. In terms of religion, we construct these theological boxes, easily understood models of interpretation, then force God and the Bible into them.
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